The Alex Wolf Podcast

The Alex Wolf Podcast

By Alex WolfSociety & Culture
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The Alex Wolf Podcast episodes

  • 3 Ways The Attention Economy Has Ruined The Meaning Of Life.

    Just because you ain’t spend money on it, don’t mean it don’t come at a cost! This week I break down the pros and cons of living in an "attention economy" and how it’s impacted the meaning of life.

    This episode is for you if:

    • You feel like you have no real control over the nature of images/content/news you see and want a better understanding of how it got this way.
    • You are a content-creator and you’re often frustrated with social media.
    • You are a person and you’re often frustrated with social media.

      • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

      Shop my amazon book store!: www.amazon.com/shop/alexwolf

      1 hr 4 min
    • Peace Is Boring, And That's Why Nobody Wants It.

      In this episode, I revisit a lot of the themes from EP 3 about the natural role of entertainment. We unpack some of the ancient Hindu perception of "drama" and how wanting in life doesn't make you bad, it makes you human.

      This episode is for you if:

      • You're into taoist & zen philosophy and you want to learn more about where it came from.
      • You want some refreshing reminders about why it's important to embrace all emotions both "good" and "bad".
      • You want to hear my controversial and judgmental opinions about meditation.

        • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

        Previous podcast episode about entertainment: https://youtu.be/NBJywp6yQW8

        IG Live with my girlfriend Lisa: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKVAx9_BGeV/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

        1 hr 1 min
      • Money Vs. Wealth - What’s the difference?

        How much would you pay for an artists life? That and other questions are what are explored in this week's podcast. We discuss the difference between "money" and "wealth".

        This episode is for you if:

        • How money's transformation from coins to paper to digital effects how we see it today.

        • How the obsession with money blinds people to what wealth actually is.

        • You use the term "money" and "wealth" interchangeably.

          • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

          Check out my amazon book store!: www.amazon.com/shop/alexwolf

          54 min
        • Environments change behavior faster than "good ideas" (especially digital environments).

          Too many people are trying to enforce changes in our behavior on social media through rules and good ideas but good ideas can't stand in the face of reality. In this episode I explore why it's so important to understand the nature of our environments when it come to tech and life.

          This episode is for you if:

          • You want to better understand how your environments have shaped you as a person.
          • You run a business or household and need perspective on how to change people's behavior without saying anything to them directly.
          • You want to understand how "shoulds"  and "good ideas" can backfire us into hypocrisy and worse conditions.

            • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

            My Amazon Books & Vibes Store: amazon.com/shop/alexwolf

            "The Dumbest Generation": https://www.amazon.com/dp/1585427128/?ref=exp_alexwolf_dp_vv_d

            "The Wisdom Of Insecurity": https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307741206/?ref=exp_alexwolf_dp_vv_d

            Human-Friendly Technology: Using & Designing Healthier Tech By Alex Wolf:  https://youtu.be/AoOWj__78nM

            15 min. mini doc "Attention For Sale": https://youtu.be/d0av3MKbdQg

            Snapchat vs. Facebook Video (Tangible examples of environments) : https://youtu.be/as64HI0Y2G8

            59 min
          • Individualism vs. Collectivism. Which one is better for society?

            Americans tend to be hard-core individualist. It's gotten us far and boy does it feel good to be admired for our differences!! But how much has this philosophy really worked? What role does collectivism play in all this? And does it have anything to offer?

            This episode is for you if:

            • You feel like your individualism used to clash with your family but that's starting to change.
            • You see the real threat of group-think and toxic conformity but aren't sure how to deal with it.
            • You want to find the balance between being selfish and selfless.

              • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

              Link to my Books & Vibes Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alexwolf

              Link to my video about capitalism being an ECONOMIC system, not a MORAL one: https://www.instagram.com/p/B5gQGcMlgIP/

              Link to The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307455777/?ref=exp_alexwolf_dp_vv_d

              56 min
            • Redefining Our Understanding Of Time (To Live A More Meaningful Life)

              Do you want to live in the "now" but feel like the way everyone explains it is so confusing? Have you ever heard "Don't mistake the map for the territory"? It's old saying about the dangers of what we lose when we mistake made-up concepts for reality. Nowhere do I think we lose out *more* than with our perception of time. In this week's episode I break down the history of the clock & calendar, and why we invented things like "minutes" and "seconds".

              This episode is for you if:

              • You want to live in the "now" but you feel like everyone's explanation on how to do it is confusing af.
              • You want to better understand why some time feels fast and some time feels slow
              • You feel a crippling pressure from deadlines. (marriage or career based age goals)

                • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

                Official Quote: “The highest that man can attain is wonder; if the primary phenomenon causes this, let him be satisfied; more it cannot bring; and he should forbear to seek for anything further behind it: here is the limit." -- Goethe

                Links mentioned:

                George Carlin's funny bit about time: https://www.instagram.com/tv/B4adhm5ldRz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

                "Why Do So Many Millennials Feel Unaligned With Their Age?" https://youtu.be/_fW-2WDutlY

                53 min
              • When Will You Let Ordinary Life Be Enough?

                We’ve been talking about the danger of "toxic growth" in technology and in our lives. This week talk about how to stop chasing pointless goals and create a "point of preservation" instead.

                This episode is for you if:

                • You want to build a life based on *maintaining* contentment rather than seeking constant highs.
                • You feel that by monitoring your stimuli, life will reawaken and ordinary things will fulfill you.
                • You want a refreshing reminders about  how to see the glass half-full.

                  • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

                  49 min
                • Spoiler Alert: Your Ego Can Never Be Happy & Other Thoughts On Life

                  Why does it seem like no matter how hard you strive for happiness, you're still unhappy? Even after you've achieved certain levels of success?

                  This episode is for you if:

                  • You're curious why your ego is destined to be miserable.

                  • You want to understand how most of our technology is invented out of "ego" and negatively impacts you.

                  • You want to stop "chasing" happiness and start to feel it by changing your relationship to nature.


                    • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

                    49 min
                  • What Have We Lost? The Scary List of What Technology Has Taken Away From uUs.

                    I think the number one question that woke me up to my with to technology was "What did we lose?". It's a question we usually ask  too late. In this week's episode I explore how it's just as important to be sensitive about what we lose when we adopt new tech and not to just be so enamored by it because it's newer, cheaper or faster. Check it out!

                    This episode is for you if:

                    • You're uncomfortable with your relationship with technology and you want some perspective of how to improve it.

                    • You feel like technology has ultimately made the world dumber and less capable.

                    • You have strong beliefs or opinions about what skills, techniques or arts we should keep to preserve our humanity.

                      • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

                      Link to my presentation that shares my "4 Qualifiers of Human-Friendly Technology": https://youtu.be/_fW-2WDutlY

                      Link to my Baby Phat Flip Phone Story (the long version): https://mailchi.mp/03570af5c2d8/think-piecenostalgia-technologyreactivating-my-pink-baby-phat-flip-phone

                      Link to Stove Top Kisses: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjBaM8gCNWKXDqU5g8mTNKw

                      46 min
                    • "Zen Buddhism is so depressing. Why are you into it?"

                      How does a philosophy that's about "doing and nothing" and "wanting" nothing even enjoyable?

                      This week I wanted to offer some perspective that might help you better understand why there's so much hype around "Zen" philosophy.

                      This episode is for you if:

                      • You feel like desperate optimism or "toxic positivity" is not doing your life any favors.
                      • You've grown out of living out your ideals and want to fall in love with living an imperfect life.
                      • You have a realist in your life and you want to better understand how to love/understand/work with them.

                        • Loved this episode? Consider leaving a donation!: http://www.linktr.ee/alexwolf

                        The Wisdom of Lao Tzu: https://amzn.to/3lmatDD

                        Story of the Chinese Farmer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX0OARBqBp0

                        41 min

                      About The Alex Wolf Podcast

                      From the publisher's feed

                      Interesting conversations about innovation, economics, culture, history and philosophy for independent thinkers and curious minds.